Do i have a learning disability or ADHD or maybe something else?

I have a problem that seems to get bigger and bigger! Lately i cant concentrate on exams and assignments. I do well at 1st ( meaning the 1st 20-30 minutes) then its like my brain shuts down! I Sometimes when i am reading i cant comprehend! Honestly im not thinking about other things and im not distracted! i really just shut down! I am very upset because of this! Even when i am committed to study for hours, it takes me forever to take in information and its because my brain just shuts down! I don't know how to explain this but its like a sluggish feeling and its difficult to understand things! My self esteem has become so low because i haven't been doing so well in school. Its difficult to believe in my self, when im doing so horribly! im losing my motivation! I really want to take CONTROL!!!! Please any advise would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you in advance.

I think what you have is a lot of anxiety. Your nervous about your testing performance and the capability to retain information in your head that which you feel pressure to memorize. In turn, it's affecting your self-esteem because you feel inadequate. If it were a form of ADHD or the like, you would've been having this problem since kindergarden or througout grade school as a little child, and would've underwent loads of tutoring and special ed attention. ADHD, I believe is a form of disability you're born with but later get's diagnosed as ADHD or the like, yet the symptoms will always remain. Ask a tutor or professor to show or guide you into developing effective study habits. Drink a lot of water to replemish your body and allow more oxygen flow into your brain cells. Breath and walk away from your studies for a minute. But if testing for ADHD you think would make you feel better, than by all means do it. It's very expensive though.

Exams, assignments...so you're either in high school or in college. I'm ruling out grad student. You're problem is that you're distracted by your lack of self esteem because you can at least recognize it. You need to figure out why you're doing anything and the sooner you figure that out, the better off you will be. Hint, some people never figure out why they make the choices they do, and are buffeted by life always.

Or, you may have a learning disability, ADHD or something else. Something far far worse.

You won't find out online. You need profesional testing done. It costs thousands of dollars. and there are many learning difference like adhd. adhd is for people with processing problems and hyper active and concentrating problems. there are forms of adhd called add wich is without the hyper part. There is more details of adhd. u have to have the hyper and concentrating part of adhd. u cant find out online. you need a special person thats job is to test peple for a learning difference.

I think that getting a professional opinion is good advice. I think you should also be sure that you get enough sleep, that you get an hour of exercise, and you should try meditating or self-hypnosis. Read my blogs for more advice http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-IeUS6eQye...

I also suggest that you watch what you listen to as music and on television. You can cultivate better attention and it helps to become more organized.

I don't think it's anything physical - I think it's just test anxiety. The problem with a lot of schools is that over the years they don't really "teach" students how to study - the teachers just plop the information in your lap and say "ok - study for the test tomorrow" and that's that. What you need to search for are tools to help make your study time more effective - flashcards, etc. and when test time comes around you'll feel more prepared. I think you're just overwhelming yourself once the test gets going and your brain, like you said, shuts down to stop the anxiety you are beginning to feel. You can ALWAYS ask your teachers for help too - maybe some extra tutoring or something of that nature. If you had ADHD or a learning disability, I would hope it would have been diagnosed long before now - this sounds like a problem you're having now because adulthood is looming (i'm assuming) and the consequences of all these tests are weighing on you more than they did in elementary school. Good luck.